T.N. CM Stalin requests Union Minister to reschedule UGC-NET exam slated on Pongal

Tamil Nadu CM requests rescheduling of UGC-NET exams due to clash with Pongal festival, highlighting cultural significance.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has written to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to reschedule the UGC-NET Examinations as it falls on the most important festival of Tamil Nadu, Pongal.

As per the National Testing Agency (NTA)‘s notice, the UGC–NET December 2024 Exam will be held from January 3 to 16, including on January 14.

Since January 14 is the day on which the most important festival of Tamil Nadu, Pongal is celebrated this year, the Tamil Nadu government’s Minister for Higher Education had written to the Government of India’s Education Minister last month stating that this festival was a very important event in the State and celebrated as the harvest festival by all sections of the Tamil community.

“Every year, this festival is celebrated for four days from January 13 to January 16. These dates are well known to all in this State in advance and the entire Tamil community celebrates the four days’ Pongal festival with fervour. The government of Tamil Nadu has already declared January 14 to 17 as government holidays for this festival,” Mr. Stalin said.

Pongal was not just a festival but a total embodiment of Tamil culture and traditional heritage that spans over 3000 years, Mr. Stalin said and underlined that it has also been pointed out that similar to Pongal festival, Makar Sankranti festival is celebrated in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana too.

“Therefore, if the proposed NET Exam is held during the Pongal holidays as scheduled, it will put a large number of candidates into hardship. I am given to understand that the Chartered Accountants foundation examination, January 2025 has already been rescheduled for the same reason,” Mr. Stalin pointed out.

Data showed that the National Testing Agency (NTA) never conducted the UGC-NET Examination during the Pongal festival season in the previous years. Under such circumstances, he asked the Union Minister’s immediate intervention to reschedule the UGC NET Examinations and other Examinations proposed to be held on January 13-16 to later dates.